Case of the Butterflies
by klutz101
Summary: Roger’s and Mimi’s feelings before their first “official” date. written for challenge 39 at speedrent


Title: Case of the Butterflies  
Author: Lindsey  
Feedback: much appreciated!  
Pairing: Roger/Mimi, Angel, Mark, April is talked about a few times  
Word Count: 1136  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Fluff  
Summary: Roger's and Mimi's feelings before their first "official" date.  
Notes: for speedrent challenge #39  
Special Thanks: Jonathon Larson  
Spoilers: La Vie Boheme  
Warnings: language  
Disclaimer: only in my dreams…

Tonight was the night. It was his first date with Mimi, well technically. After Maureen's protest, _The Village Voice_, he had invited Mimi to join him and his friends at the Life Café. She had accepted and tagged along. Throughout the dinner he had been a total jackass to her, until the very end. He had found out she had AIDS and she had found out he did, too. From that moment on, he had treated Mimi differently. As they walked down the sidewalk, he worked up the courage to ask her out on an official date. She gladly agreed to go out with him; he hadn't thought she would decline.

Now, Roger stood in front of his bathroom mirror deciding of he should really do this. He hadn't gone out with a girl in over a year, ever since…_her_

Roger shook his head and walking towards the phone, ready to call up Mimi and tell her that he wasn't ready to have a girlfriend. But as his hand reached towards the phone, he realized he didn't want to cancel his date with Mimi. Mimi had tried all week to get him out of the loft and he doubted Mimi would give up, even if Roger stood her up on every date they had planned. Mimi seemed to really like him, and Roger couldn't help but feel a little attracted to the Latina woman.

x-x-x

"Mimi-chica! Roger is going to die when he sees you!" Angel squealed as Mimi came out of her bedroom wearing a dress Angel had made out of an old, satin table cloth that she had found in the garbage can.

Mimi looked at herself in her dusty mirror and smiled. "I look good, don't I?"

"No," Angel said, "You look fabulous!"

Mimi laughed. "You think?"

"No, honey, I know. Roger's lucky to be going out with such a fine girl!"

Mimi loved how Angel always found a way to make her feel good no matter what kind of situation she was in. "I'm scared, Angel," Mimi confessed after a moment of silence.

"Why, Mimi?"

"I don't know, it's just that I haven't been with a guy since Benny and Mark told me Roger hasn't been outside in over six months…"

"Mimi-chica, Roger's been outside since his ex-girlfriend's suicide and his withdrawal! Do you not remember Maureen's protest and the party afterwards? I recall a beautiful dancer locking lips with a hot guitarist."

Mimi's cheeks grew warm. "That was different," Mimi said as she grabbed a hair brush and started to brush her dark, curly locks.

"How?"

"He was only out for at least an hour and a half. And I'm pretty sure Mark forced him to go."

"This is no offense to Mark, but you have seen what he looks like, right?" Angel asked and Mimi nodded. "You really think that little guy forced _Roger_ out of the loft?"

Mimi thought for a minute. "Maybe you're right."

Angel nudged Mimi's elbow from where she sat. "Collins told me earlier that Mark said the only reason Roger left the loft in the first place was because Mark mentioned something about you being at the protest."

Mimi eyed her best friend. "You're lying."

Angel gasped in mock-horror. "How could you ever think I'd do such a thing!"

Mimi laughed it off and hugged Angel. "I love you, Ang."

"I love you, too, Mimi-chica."

x-x-x

Mark was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching the small TV that barely worked when Roger walked out of the bathroom.

"How do I look?" Roger asked Mark, seriously.

Mark picked up his camera and zoomed in on Roger. "Roger is getting ready for his first date with Mimi and appears to be nervous because he just asked me, his roommate, for fashion advice," Mark said, narrating to the camera.

"Knock it off, Mark," Roger warned.

"Do you like her?" Mark asked out-of-the-blue.

"Who?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "Mimi."

"Oh. Uh, she's not bad, I guess."

Mark shook his head and laughed to himself. He turned the camera to face him. "Typical answer from Roger, a guitarist who has no idea how to express his feelings."

"Shut the fuck up, Mark."

Mark turned off his camera and checked his watch that seemed to be the only clock in the loft that actually worked and was on time. "You better go, Rog, or you're gonna be late."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Roger grabbed his leather jacket off the floor and headed towards the door, but stopping when he heard Mark's voice.

"Hey, Roger."

Roger turned around. "Yeah?"

"You look fine."

Roger smiled. "Thanks. Don't wait up, okay?"

Mark smiled his all knowing smile. "I won't."

Roger walked out of the loft and headed down the staircase where Mimi's apartment was located. She was just exiting her apartment as he came down the last step and when she saw him, her eyes lit up and she had the hugest grin on her face.

Roger started to feel sick; butterflies forming in his stomach. He had never been this nervous on a date before, not even on his first date with April. He told himself that it was only because he had been off the market for so long, not because of this gorgeous girl that stood in front of him.

He leaned down to kiss her cheek, not sure if Mimi was comfortable with them kissing just yet. Even though they had already kissed—practically made-out—at the Life Café, he had a feeling that was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. And since it had been a long time since he'd been with someone else other than April, he wanted to take it slow.

Mimi smiled even more at Roger's gesture. "Should we get going?" she asked him, kindly.

"Uh, yeah," Roger replied, staring at Mimi. She looked so beautiful tonight; it seemed as if she had made a special effort to look nice for him on their date. She had on a red, satin dress that complimented ever curve on her body and stopped just above her knees.

Mimi caught Roger staring at her. "What?" she asked, confused as to why he was staring at her. Her outfit didn't look that hideous did it? Oh god, Mark had told her that Roger used to love the color red on all his other girlfriends. Had Mark lied? Of course he hadn't…or could he have?

Roger shook his head, returning to the present. "N-Nothing. I was just…you look…never mind."

Mimi stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed Roger sweetly on his lips, knowing exactly what Roger was trying to say. "Thank you," she told him, smiling.

Then the couple walked down the rest of the staircase, hand-in-hand, knowing this would be a night to remember.

x-x-x

REVIEW PLEASE!


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